


The Romance of the Ritualists: A Study of Inter-Personal Interactions in Transient Academic Environments

by KeriArentikai



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Academia, Fluff, Happy Ending, Long-Distance Relationship, M/M, No Werewolves, academic au, conference hook up, unrealistically so given that it's an academia AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-07-20
Updated: 2013-07-20
Packaged: 2017-12-20 19:51:14
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,763
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/891174
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KeriArentikai/pseuds/KeriArentikai
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It was probably, Stiles thought, the first time in his entire life that he was spacing out on a conversation about Greek religion.  And it wasn't because Derek was being boring.  It was because Derek obviously hadn't shaved since he'd gotten to the conference and his stubble was at the perfect length to emphasize his jawline.  It was because his eyes were the most unbelievable colour.  It was because he had looked so serious earlier, but now his face was open and smiling.</p><p>It might also have been just a little bit because of the beer.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Romance of the Ritualists: A Study of Inter-Personal Interactions in Transient Academic Environments

**Author's Note:**

  * For [limenitis_arthemis](https://archiveofourown.org/users/limenitis_arthemis/gifts).



> This is the story won by limenitis_arthemis for the AO3 auction - thank you so much for your donation and for giving me the freedom to write such a fun story!
> 
> Thanks also to my cheerleaders and pre-readers: p1013, pinetreekate and relenafanel. You have all been stalwarts during my dry spell.

It was weird. Stiles was sitting on a padded bench in the lobby of a hotel on the outskirts of some random city in a state he had never been to before. He had a beer in his hand and a ridiculously hot guy sitting next to him, their thighs pressed together, and they were talking animatedly about the Cambridge ritualists. The fucking Cambridge ritualists! 

The conversation shouldn't be hot. It was a conversation he could have had in a classroom, minus some of the crude language and intoxicated hand gestures, but there was something about hearing this guy - Derek - talk passionately about Frazer's interpretation of the Hippolytus myth that was just... hot. Unbelievably hot.

It was probably, Stiles thought, the first time in his entire life that he was spacing out on a conversation about Greek religion. And it wasn't because Derek was being boring. It was because Derek obviously hadn't shaved since he'd gotten to the conference and his stubble was at the perfect length to emphasize his jawline. It was because his eyes were the most unbelievable colour. It was because he had looked so serious earlier, but now his face was open and smiling.

It might also have been just a little bit because of the beer.

Well, okay, the beer wasn't responsible for Stiles' attraction. That had been present and accounted for since the first day of the conference, when he was sitting halfway back in the room, next to Scott, at the panel on religion in Vergil. He had his usual first-day-of-the-conference enthusiasm going and Scott was putting up with it because no one else had been free to come to the conference with them. 

Stiles had been eagerly flipping through the program again when the first speaker stood up (he checked, he was listed as Derek Hale, Visiting Assistant Professor at Berkeley.) He was... well. Stiles was pretty sure he made some kind of horrible croaking noise, because Scott looked over at him with concern. The guy was in a grey suit, no tie, but somehow no amount of professional clothing could make the guy look tame. He expected to zone out during his talk - the research would have to be pretty awesome to distract him from just staring at the guy - but the talk was, in fact, pretty awesome.

Which is why he almost freaked the fuck out when he saw the guy in the audience for his panel the next day. He was in the panel on queer sexualities in the ancient world, talking about Boeotia as a mental locus for the normalization of male same-sex relationships in ancient Greece. And it's not like all, or even a majority of the people who show up for the queer panels at these kinds of conferences are queer themselves. It's not even like it's assumed all the presenters are queer. But a guy presenting on male same-sex relationships, which happens to be his dissertation topic? It sends a message. Stiles tried not to look at the guy in the audience when he was speaking. But he tripped over his words once and he couldn't help looking at the guy - to see disapproval? - but he only saw Derek smile wider as Stiles took a few seconds to collect himself.

And he kind of couldn't fucking believe it, that this guy, this ridiculously beautiful and super smart guy, found him almost as soon as he got to the party held the last night of the conference. They had all started off in a block of rooms rented by the conference-goers, the beer being kept cold in the hotel bathtubs, and were hanging out in the hallway between the rooms, but the hotel staff had objected and moved them all down to the hotel lobby.

So there they were, probably thirty or so people left, at 1 am, in a hotel lobby. And Derek had been talking with Stiles for pretty much the last three hours. Others had drifted in and out of the conversation and Scott had been chatting with them most of the evening, but Scott went up to bed in the room he and Stiles were sharing. 

"... I mean, his writing is totally archaic, sure, but I think all of our modern primarily-social interpretations really overlook the ancient religious experience, don't you think?" Derek finished.

"Um," Stiles replied. He would have agreed wholeheartedly if he had caught the whole train of thought, but, you know, stubble. Thoughts of stubble on skin, how it might feel on his thighs, were kind of distracting. He expected Derek to look irritated or hurt at not being listened to, but he just smiled, wide and knowing, as if he could tell what Stiles was thinking.

Maybe he could. Stiles was certain he was blushing like crazy. 

This was Stiles' least favourite part of being queer. He was pretty sure Derek knew, or could guess, that Stiles was into guys, but he had no clue about Derek. If Derek had been a girl, he could have assumed, but...

"Are we flirting?" Stiles blurted out, before he could help himself. Alcohol was never good for his filter.

Derek threw back his head and laughed, and Stiles wasn't sure if it was normal for Derek to laugh like that, or whether it was the considerable amount of alcohol Derek had also partaken in, or whether Stiles himself had helped it along, but it was a truly fantastic sound. It made his chest tingle.

It made other parts of him tingle when Derek put his hand down on Stiles' leg and answered.

"Yeah, we're flirting. Glad you picked up on that."

Stiles licked his lips and noticed Derek's eyes flick down to follow the movement. 

He looked sideways and saw his advisor still sitting at the hotel bar. 

"Please tell me you have a room to yourself. I'm sharing with Scott."

The elevator ride should have been awkward, but it wasn't. They stood close, arms touching, and smiled at each other as they talked about how funny the organizers of the conference had been, falling down drunk when they left.

Stiles would have laughed at the cliché of Derek pushing him up against the door of the hotel room as soon as it closed behind them, but he was too busy clutching the back of Derek's neck as their lips met. Stiles pressed his body forward just to feel Derek press back, his bulk trapping Stiles.

"Oh! Um," Stiles gasped out, as Derek moved to his neck, sucking and biting gently. "Bed?"

They stumbled over, trying to do too many things at once - walk and take off each other's shirts and kick off their shoes - and it wasn't graceful but it was effective enough. They fell back on the bed together and Stiles was hovering over Derek, licking his chest and smelling Derek's natural scent and the faint traces of cologne and deodorant from the morning when Derek said:

"I, um, haven't done this before."

Stiles shot up and sat back on Derek's legs before he could stop himself. His expression must have made his horror evident.

Derek laughed, that same free and open laugh that Stiles had seen downstairs.

"Oh my god, you thought I meant... No, I just haven't done the whole conference hook-up thing before."

Stiles, relieved, leaned forward again, resuming his attentions to Derek's skin and sucking at his nipple.

"Me neither, actually."

"It's... nice. Two thumbs up so far."

"Glad to hear you're enjoying," Stiles said as he moved down Derek's body, kissing the skin beneath his navel and unbuttoning his pants. "Can I..."

"Yeah, yes, yeah," Derek said, nonsensically, as he arched his back, pushing up off the bed as if Stiles' weight was nothing, to push his pants and underwear past his hips.

For a moment Stiles regretted they weren't going slower, that he wasn't able to fully appreciate every inch of Derek's incredible body - where the fuck did this guy get so much time for the gym? - but Derek's dick was bobbing in front of him and Derek's eyes were gazing down at him, wide and amazed, and there was no way he was slowing down.

He darted his tongue out to taste. Derek's cock was warm and flushed and smelled disturbingly good given that it was the end of a long day. He took the head into his mouth and sucked gently. Spurred on by Derek's groan and the strong hands in his hair, not gripping or moving but resting and caressing, he took him in further. He sucked a little more and moved his tongue up and down with his mouth. 

"Stiles, oh god, Stiles, you should... I can't... Stiles!"

It's not that Stiles didn't like giving blow jobs. They're fine. But they were usually for the benefit of his partner rather than because giving head turned him on particularly. But he had just been at it for a couple of minutes, barely, and Derek sounded like he was about to die. Which was just...

"Shit, really, I'm sorry, Stiles, I'm gonna come!"

Stiles wrapped his hand around the base of Derek's dick and pulled off just in time to watch Derek's hips lift off the bed and to see his dick pulsing and come dripping down.

"Oh my god," Stiles rasped out, suddenly absurdly hard, rubbing himself against the bed and alarmingly close to coming himself. 

As Derek slowed and stopped, he threw an arm across his flushed face, hiding his eyes.

"Shit, I'm sorry. It's been a while. I... ugh. I'm sorry." And he really did sound sorry. It was weird.

"Dude, no," Stiles replied, moving his body up the bed to lie next to Derek again, mouthing at his neck and enjoying the shudders it produced. "That was crazy hot."

"Oh," he paused. "Should I...?" he vaguely gestured towards Stiles' pants.

"Um, only if you want to," Stiles replied, although he was thinking about how he could possibly make it out of the room with his dick this hard, and how awkward it would be to have to jerk off in the bathroom. Derek took a deep breath and seemed to collect himself a little.

"Yeah, I really really do."

Soon Stiles' pants were on the floor somewhere and he was lying half on Derek, with his top leg flung over Derek's body and Derek's arm wound around him. Derek was moving his hand slowly up and down Stiles' cock and his other hand was tickling Stiles' back. All the places their bodies met were sweaty and slick and Stiles still couldn't really believe this was happening - he hooked up with folks, sure, but he was pretty fucking sure that Derek was the hottest guy he had ever slept with or was ever likely to sleep with in his whole life. 

Derek was whispering in his ear - how good he felt, how good Stiles had made him feel, how he had been watching Stiles when he gave his talk - and when Derek moved his hand down from Stiles' back to tease his ass, his balls, the space between, it was just game over. He shook and came everywhere and Derek kissed him through it.

"I'm gonna go take a quick shower, okay?" Derek said after they had caught their breath. Stiles was already halfway to unconsciousness, he had a bad habit of passing out as soon as sex was done, so he just grunted and barely managed to keep his eyes open long enough to watch Derek's bare ass move across the room.

He woke up a little when Derek slipped back into bed, warm and wet and still remarkably muscley. 

"Should I go?" Stiles asked. After all, his room was only a couple of floors away, but he was so tired and naked and Derek was still naked and...

"Not unless you want to," Derek replied. "What time do you need to get up?" 

"We're driving, so, like, nine?" Stiles mumbled.

"I'll set the alarm," Derek said before fiddling around for a while on the bedside table. Then he curled himself around Stiles, touching him only tentatively until Stiles grabbed his hand and pulled it to rest on Stiles' chest, and the last thing Stiles remembered before slipping into unconsciousness again was the feel of Derek's lips on the nape of his neck. 

___________________

It was Scott's turn to drive and Stiles stared out the window at the mountains, the sharp drops and rolling hills. It was just a hookup. He _knew_ it was just a hookup, but he remembered Derek sleepily kissing him goodbye in the morning and wondered what would have happened if they lived in the same place, if their lives were less hectic and uncertain. Would they have exchanged numbers? Would they have gotten together at all outside of the guaranteed transience of the conference?

Stiles thought it might almost be easier if he thought he'd never see Derek again, but as long as they were both in academia, they were pretty much guaranteed to both be attending at least the major annual conference in January each year. Oh well, he hoped at least they wouldn't be awkward if they ran into each other again.

___________________

What Stiles was not expecting was a Facebook friend request from Derek, which he found when he logged on as soon as he got home. He was so surprised, in fact, that he made a squeaky noise that carried through the tiny apartment he shared with Scott near NYU. 

"What's wrong?" Scott asked, rushing in to Stiles' room. No boundaries, that kid.

"Nothing. Derek just friended me on Facebook."

"Oh, well that's good! You seemed to really like him." 

"Come on, we all nothing is going to come of it," Stiles replied. He really had no desire for a crush on a guy who lived an entire country away and who hadn't actually shown interest past a one-night stand.

"Whatever you say, man." But Scott had that look in his eyes like he knew Stiles better than he knew himself. He usually actually did. Shit.

___________________

 

Stiles Stilinski: How was your trip back?

Derek Hale: Shitty. My flight got cancelled. You?

Stiles Stilinski: Fine. Back to work...

Derek Hale: Oh, that book I was telling you about on Diana is by Carin Green.

Stiles Stilinski: Thanks for the ref, I'll check it out. What are you up to tonight?

Derek Hale: My sister is getting into town tomorrow, so probably just cleaning.

Stiles Stilinski: Sounds like fun!

___________________

 

Derek Hale: I have to go to another department function tonight. I'm really not looking forward to it.

Stiles Stilinski: They're not fun but they're not usually THAT bad. Free food and booze?

Derek Hale: It's more the company I'm worried about. My ex Kate is doing a post-doc in the Art History department and she'll probably be there.

Stiles Stilinski: Ouch. Bad breakup?

Stiles Stilinski: Wait, you don't have to answer that if you don't want to.

Derek Hale: I know, idiot. I don't mind. It was a while ago but it kind of sucked. She cheated on me with my advisor. I actually ended up switching schools for the PhD. 

Stiles Stilinski: Holy shit, seriously? What a bitch. Sorry. I hope you don't see her tonight.

Derek Hale: Me too.

Stiles Stilinski: I'll be around later if you want to talk. Not that I'm saying you should feel like you need to...

Derek Hale: Thanks.

___________________

Derek Hale: I got another job interview!

Stiles Stilinski: That's awesome, oh my god! Is that five now? You stud. 

Derek Hale: It doesn't mean I'm going to get any of the jobs.

Stiles Stilinski: Cheer up, sourpuss. I know the market sucks, but you're awesome. I've read your stuff - it's great. 

Derek Hale: Yeah well, you have to say that. Until you write a review of my book one day.

Derek Hale: Are you coming to the APA?

Stiles Stilinski: You bet. Guess I'll see you there.

___________________

Stiles Stilinski: derrreeeekkkkk

Derek Hale: What are you still doing up? It's 4 am for you.

Stiles Stilinski: i might have gone out with some people to celebrate theend of the semeter

Derek Hale: Are you drunk?

Stiles Stilinski: shhhhhhhhh i ahve no idea what you're talking about

Derek Hale: You're hysterical. 

Stiles Stilinski: there was this girl tonight and she was like all over me it was weird

Stiles Stilinski: derek you there?

Derek Hale: Good weird?

Stiles Stilinski: nah. didn't sleep with her, i'm here talking to you now, aren't i? 

Derek Hale: Yeah.

Stiles Stilinski: she defnitiely wasnt as hot as you

Derek Hale: Thanks?

Stiles Stilinski: just putting that out there

Derek Hale: Drink some water, take some Advil and go to bed. I'll talk to you tomorrow.

Stiles Stilinski: night derek

___________________

Stiles Stilinski: So my flight leaves tomorrow - wanna give me your number so we can meet up in Chicago? Mine's 212-555-9823

Derek Hale: Texting you now. See you soon.

___________________

His hands gripped the plastic cup full of cheap wine as his eyes darted towards the door again and again.

"What's your problem, Stilinski?" Lydia asked. "The door definitely can't be more interesting than my story about Prof. Jones."

"I'm listening. I'm totally listening!" Stiles claimed.

"Don't mind him," Scott said, putting a friendly hand on his shoulder, "Stiles here is just waiting for his loverboy to show up."

"Oh shut up." Stiles shrugged his hand off. "We're supposed to meet up for dinner tomorrow, I don't even know if he's gonna come to the reception."

"And miss the free drink ticket?" Lydia's voice was dry as she raised her glass, full of wine in no way up to her standards. "What a waste."

"Oh look, there he is," Scott said, gesturing in the direction of the entrance.

"Which one is he?" Allison asked.

"The one in the green shirt," Scott answered, as Stiles was still trying to collect himself.

"Nice," Allison said, appraisingly. "Very nice."

"Wow, Stiles, that one is way above your pay grade," Erica added.

"Oh my god." Stiles's voice was strangled. "Can you guys please try not to be the most embarrassing friends ever?"

"Hey," Stiles said awkwardly, as Derek came up to their group.

"Hey," Derek smiled back. "Hi Scott, good to see you again."

"Yeah, uh, this is Derek, and this is Allison, Lydia, Boyd and Erica," Stiles said, pointing at each of them in turn.

"Nice to meet you all," Derek said.

"So, uh, enjoying the reception?" Stiles asked, and he had no idea why they were so fucking awkward. It was like they hadn't talked over the last seven months at all.

"I'm not going to stay long. I promised I'd meet some of my friends from grad school here but, you know, I've got four of my interviews tomorrow, so I'm going to try to get to bed early."

"Four of them on the same day? Are you kidding? And then you have the fifth tomorrow?" Stiles asked, incredulously.

"Not kidding, and the fifth I did on Skype last week. The scheduling system is sadistic. I'm at least thankful that I don't have any Sunday afternoon."

"Holy shit. Well, get some sleep tonight and good luck tomorrow!" Stiles gave him a friendly arm pat to punctuate the sentiment, and Derek stared at his hand until he took it away.

"Um, sorry," Stiles said, a sinking feeling in his stomach. He hadn't been so deluded as to think that they were going to pick up where they had left off, with sleepy make outs, but he had been pretty sure they were at least friends. All the messaging had been more than just as colleagues. But Derek was setting up boundaries and... that was okay. It was totally okay. They could be friends who messaged each other and maybe talked and never came into physical contact. Right.

"No, it's fine," Derek looked down and shook his head, as if trying to shake himself awake. "I'm just really nervous about tomorrow."

"Oh, yeah, totally," Stiles rambled in response.

"Are we still on for tomorrow night?" Derek asked, raising his eyes again to meet Stiles'. The weight in Stiles' chest lightened a little, seeing the hopeful expression there.

"Definitely. I'll see you then. Good luck tomorrow... again."

"Thanks. Okay. Um, bye," Derek said, then turned away and quickly walked off.

Erica broke the silence that followed his departure:

"Wow. Hot, brilliant and almost as awkward as you. You guys should get married and have little brilliant, awkward babies."

"Shut up," Stiles said weakly, wincing as he downed the rest of his wine.

___________________

It wasn't really a surprise. Stiles hadn't been counting on it, but he had hoped. Hoped that he'd feel Derek's lips against his own again, get to see him come again. Goal one had been accomplished, goal two was well on its way.

They were both a little drunk again, and it was late because they had gone to a bunch of the receptions, but Stiles enjoyed the feel of the clean, crisp hotel sheets wrinkling against his skin and this time he didn't offer to leave afterwards.

___________________

Stiles had actually been planning on going to the Sunday morning panels, because he was an overenthusiastic geek, but Derek convinced him to stay in bed a little longer and at a certain point it just wasn't worth making it to the conference at all. Instead, they got breakfast at the Starbucks in the hotel lobby and grinned at each other like idiots across the table.

"Funny seeing you here," a smooth voice broke in. Stiles looked up to see a beautiful woman, with flowing honey-blonde hair, gazing down at Derek with a crooked smile on her face. 

"Kate," Derek gritted out in greeting. "What are you doing here?"

"Oh, I had some interviews. Harvard, Yale, you know. I can see you're taking _your_ career seriously." She flicked her eyes over at Stiles. "What is he, an undergrad?" 

Before Derek could reply, Stiles cut in: "Wow, you're right Derek. She is a _delight_."

Kate bared her teeth at him in an expression just similar enough to a smile to seem polite to an onlooker.

"Goodbye, Kate," Derek said firmly. She glared one more time before leaving.

"So, that was the infamous Kate," Stiles said, after he was sure she was out of earshot. "She's pretty."

"She's a terrible person."

"That too," Stiles conceded. "Not exactly humble either, is she?"

"She's ambitious. That was actually her excuse for the whole cheating thing - she didn't think I was going to make it in academia."

"Dude, you have a visiting assistant professorship at Berkeley. Berkeley! And you got five interviews. That's great. Even if none of it works out, that doesn't make you any less awesome."

"Thanks," Derek smiled. "It's... nice to hear that."

___________________

 

Their grins dimmed when they both had to pack up and get to the airport. All of them shared a shuttle, and for once in his life, Stiles' friends let him have some privacy. He and Derek sat in the back row and talked over the sounds of traffic and the engine.

"I'll, uh, talk to you, right?" Stiles asked, as he got to security.

"Yeah, we'll talk," Derek replied, looking uncomfortable.

"Fuck it," Stiles said, and he darted in to kiss Derek. Derek looked surprised, but the corner of his mouth tugged up a little. "Have a good flight."

"You too."

___________________

 

212-555-9823 - hey derek, make it back okay?

510-555-9070 - Flight got cancelled, I'm in Atlanta now.

212-555-9823 - that seriously sucks. what is with your luck? i'm never flying with you

510-555-9070 - I must have done something bad in a past life.

212-555-9823 - i'm back in my shoebox of an apartment. i miss the hotel already

510-555-9070 - All I brought for the flight are very serious books and now I'm so bored.

212-555-9823 - maybe this is weird, but we could skype, if you have internet? i'm sure i could entertain you

510-555-9070 - Yeah, that would be good. derek.c.hale

___________________

510-555-9070 - I have a free hour - want to skype?

212-555-9823 - ugh sorry i can't. scott dragged me out.

510-555-9070 - Poor baby, how horrible for you, a night out with your friends.

212-555-9823 - yeah, well, i wanted to talk to you, i kind of miss you. it's been a few days.

510-555-9070 - Have fun. Hit on some people.

212-555-9823 - really? you want me to hit on people?

510-555-9070 - If you want to.

212-555-9823 - stop fishing!

510-555-9070 - What?

212-555-9823 - you just want to hear me tell you i'm not seeing anyone else

510-555-9070 - Maybe.

212-555-9823 - stop worrying, you big baby. i only have eyes for you

510-555-9070 - Are you drunk already?

212-555-9823 - you think i need to be drunk to proclaim my devotion? also, yes.

510-555-9070 - Call me whenever you get home, if you want. I'll be up.

212-555-9823 - fair warning, you know what happens when i drunk skype you

510-555-9070 - You try a striptease and then fall asleep without having hung up?

212-555-9823 - just for that i'm keeping my underwear on tonight

___________________

"Hey Der, how are you doing?" Stiles asked, when Derek picked up.

"I'm okay. Just got checked in to the hotel."

"You're going to do great. You've already done one on-campus interview so it's all old news now."

"It's still ridiculously hard and scary."

"I know," Stiles sighed. "FSU is nuts if they don't want you."

"Thanks." Derek paused, but it sounded like he might continue and Stiles had learned to let Derek fill in his own silences. "I really wish I could see you right now. It's just, there's so much going on."

"I know," Stiles repeated. "We'll have time over spring break. Get some sleep, okay?"

___________________

For the first time that Stiles could recall, he forgot to turn off the ringer on his phone while he was teaching. It blared out "Baby Got Back" before he quickly silenced it. It's a good thing he never pretended to his students that he was a mature adult.

Derek never called without texting first during the day, so as soon as class let out he called back.

"Stiles," Derek answered, breathless. "I got an offer."

Stiles was happy for him. He _was_. But the places he had gotten on-campus interviews at were FSU and UCLA - both half a country away from New York. It's not like Stiles had ever thought relationships between academics were easy, and he thought Derek was worth it, but...

"It's from Columbia," Derek said.

Stiles' heart stopped in his chest before starting back up at a thundering pace. "What?"

"I'm so sorry I didn't tell you when I had an on-campus."

"You were here?"

"I was just so nervous and I thought that if I saw you -"

"No, no, I get it. I just... Really? You're moving here?"

"Yeah," Derek said.

"You got a motherfucking tenure-track job at Columbia and you're moving here?" Stiles knew he was starting to yell and it was inappropriately loud for the hallway with students rushing by, but he really really didn't care.

"Yeah," Derek said again, and Stiles could hear the smile in his voice. "I think I'm gonna go over there for spring break to look for an apartment. Want to help me?"

___________________

**Epilogue - six years later**

Stiles was humming to himself while arranging the books on the shelves in his new office, when his text notification noise rang out. He picked up the phone, quickly read the message and then ran out of his office and down the hallway.

He stopped in front of an office five doors down and opened without knocking.

"Der, you're not going to believe what I just heard!"

"What?" Derek looked up from his computer.

"Scott just ran into Kate over at SF State."

Derek frowned.

"No, no, wait for it. She's _adjuncting_ there," Stiles said gleefully. "Has been for four years."

"Seriously?"

"Yep. Apparently she's been on the market for ages and still hasn't gotten anything."

Derek leaned back in his chair. "Holy shit. I shouldn't feel happy about that, but I kind of do."

"Oh, um," Stiles eyes flicked up to the collar of Derek's shirt, where a bit of a deep red hickey, evidence of last night's activities, peeked out. "You might want to tighten your tie a bit."

"Go back to your own office and stop bugging me," Derek glared.

"Let me know when you want to head home," Stiles said, pecking him on the cheek before closing the door behind him.

**Author's Note:**

> If for some reason you want to, you can find me [on tumblr](http://keriarentikai.tumblr.com).
> 
> Forgot to mention this - as much fun as it is crowing over Kate, no offense is meant to people who find themselves in that situation in real life. Let's be real, I'll probably be doing the same thing in a couple of years.


End file.
